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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363365">Ivy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedeviltohisangel/pseuds/thedeviltohisangel'>thedeviltohisangel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Band of Brothers (TV 2001)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:33:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,102</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363365</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedeviltohisangel/pseuds/thedeviltohisangel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She wrote him a letter. It didn’t have many words but it said everything. Tomorrow, he was jumping into Normandy and she wasn’t sure when she would see him again. If she ever would. She folded it nicely and sealed the envelope, pressing a kiss to it for good luck. With a careful hand, she wrote his name on the front then just looked at it for a moment. She wishes she could say the word out loud. But, long ago, her and Dick had agreed they meant too much. That the words were sacred and shouldn’t be said when they couldn’t truly act on them. But she didn’t know how she was possibly going to say goodbye to him without saying them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Richard Winters/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ivy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She wrote him a letter. It didn’t have many words but it said everything. Tomorrow, he was jumping into Normandy and she wasn’t sure when she would see him again. If she ever would. She folded it nicely and sealed the envelope, pressing a kiss to it for good luck. With a careful hand, she wrote his name on the front then just looked at it for a moment. She wishes she could say the word out loud. But, long ago, her and Dick had agreed they meant too much. That the words were sacred and shouldn’t be said when they couldn’t truly act on them. But she didn’t know how she was possibly going to say goodbye to him without saying them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There she is! Come to say goodbye to us? Maybe a little kiss for good luck?” Charlotte chuckled at Bill as she made her way across the airstrip all of them were waiting on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not goodbye, it’s a see you later.” She’d refused to say goodbye to any of them. Nonetheless, she planted a kiss on his cheek. Red lipstick imprint and all. “I’ll be right behind you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell we gonna do if we get banged up before then?” That was Perco.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Find one of the medics making the jump.” She had watched all of them jump with envy. It looked thrilling. Like something she shouldn’t be allowed to do nevertheless enjoy. Even worse, they had told her it was inappropriate for a lady to participate. She had gritted her teeth so hard she thought they would crack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the only female touch we’ve had in a year. Now they want us to give it up because you’d have to wear pants to jump?” Bill said it more to the universe than he did her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been spoiled. It’ll be good to humble you a bit,” she teased back. She looked away from the group and scanned the horizon looking for the man she had come to find.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To the left, doll.” She hummed her confusion back. “Winters. He’s to your left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bet he gets more than a peck on the cheek, right Wild Bill?” She was never at a loss for words but whenever it came to Dick, she was rendered speechless. Her cheeks were redder than the blood that rushed to them and she had to look at her feet in the hopes they had all the answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, Joe, you’ve made the lass blush.” George slung his arm over her shoulders. “I’ll distract them while you run,” he said with a glint to his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I owe you a beer!” she said with a smile as she took his advice and walked briskly where they had pointed her to. There were a few green tents set up on the side where the officers were looking at maps and using compasses to pinpoint where they were going to be landing once the real thing happened. When she watched Lt. Heyliger walk out, she assumed that was where Dick would be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Nix, it looks like-” he stopped when he looked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to disappoint,” she smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlotte. I thought you’d be knee deep in bandages and morphine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should be. But I had to see everyone one last time before you go. Make sure they tightened their harnesses and all that.” Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. Her mind was having trouble stringing together sentences. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ll make sure to check myself before they board if that helps.” Dick was in no better shape himself. The compass was trembling in his hands. His mouth was dry and he’d lost the ability to swallow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here.” She thrust the letter at him unceremoniously. “Don’t open until the war’s over or I’m dead. Whichever comes first.” He looked at her in horror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be safe. They said…” he cleared his throat, “they said the aid stations would be set up far behind the front line.” That had been the only question he asked at the briefing. Nix hadn’t teased him about it afterwards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still. For the darkest time only.” He nodded, relenting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” They stared at each other a few moments longer in a futile attempt to remember every detail. Tears hovered right behind her eyes. Had he always had that many freckles? Had his eyes always been that clear? Had she always had that golden streak in her hair? Had she always looked like an angel?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget to look after yourself while you’re over there, okay?” She wasn’t going to ask him to be safe or be careful because she knew that wasn’t fair. There was no way he could promise her that. There was no chance she would put that on him. “I’ll look you up when I get there.” She turned to leave, not thinking she could hold back her tears for one more moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to say it. I want to say it but I…” She turned back. His eyes were glassy too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. Me too. But we promised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would never break a promise. Especially one I made you,” he said with a small chuckle at the end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dick,” she whispered his name in desperation. Just like always, he knew what she needed before she did. She fell into his chest and her head nestled under his chin like it was meant to. That only made her heart hurt worse. “I can’t handle the thought of never seeing you again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aries himself couldn’t keep us apart.” Because Dick didn’t think he could handle this being the last time he saw her either. Charlotte wasn’t going to make him promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let any of the French girls woo you away from me,” she said in an attempt to lighten the mood. He let his guard down for a moment and knocked his forehead against hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not likely.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I was in the neighborhood-Oh sorry!” They jumped apart as Nix opened the flap to the tent. “Jesus go back to doing whatever you were doing! Ignore me!” He had already asked Dick to name their first born son after him. If only the man would kiss her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Nix, it’s your turn. I have to go finish inventory anyway.” She hugged the intelligence officer and stood in the opening, one last attempt at soaking it all in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you over there?” Nix asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither of you better be stupid enough that you need a nurse. But, in case you are, I’m the only one allowed to stitch you up so I can lecture you while doing it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take care of each other.” She knew if she didn’t leave then, she never would. Like ripping off a bandage, she strolled out of the tent and fought every voice in her head that said to turn back. That told her to tell Dick how she felt. That she’d wait a lifetime for him. That the only future she could bear to think about was one with him in it. But she pushed it all down and marched back to her aid station. She watched the planes take off with the rest of them. Watched as the men she had learned to love as family went to a far away place to defend their country and the idea of freedom. And she prayed to God that if He was sending Dick Winters into hell, He would let her go too.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlotte got herself into a good routine. She woke up early, ate less than her share of the rations so she could give some to her favorite patients and then washed it all down with whatever it was they called coffee. Then she went around checking on supply levels, doing her best to make sure there was enough at the aid station and for all the medics on the front line. It was normally about then her name was called. There was no shortage of men being carted in. They were varied in their levels of pain but it struck her more so on how many of them wished to return to the line. Some of them seemed perfectly fine, practically begging her to recommend a medical discharge, when others were telling her to do the bare minimum so they could get back out there with the men. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are the men doing out there?” She had heard whispers about the men of Easy and their capture of the German guns at Brecourt Manor but nothing more than straws.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were all pretty spread out in the beginning but now that we are coming together, things are looking up.” Charlotte smiled at the soldier who had been lucky enough to only be nicked by a bullet. Only required a few stitches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Private, you’re all good to go. Hopefully we don’t meet like this again,” she said with a smile as she gathered the dirty supplies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, ma’am.” He hurried off quickly and she was left with relative peace and quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if you want news on Lieutenant Winters, you should just ask.” She turned to see Emma, another nurse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No because what if it’s not good news?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Either way. Knowing is better than you living your life hoping God will project the answer down onto you.” Charlotte hadn’t said his name since their last night in England. Had kept her ear to the ground in case someone mentioned something but she never out right asked. Maybe Emma had a point. Maybe, if something had happened, she should get it over with and start the process of healing. Maybe the next paratrooper that she saw she would ask about Dick Winters. If she had the courage.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>For his part, Dick was being just as stubborn. It was the night after Brecourt, as he made a promise to himself that he would live his life in peace if he made it through, that the letter in his breast pocket felt heavy. None of the nurses looked familiar in the town they were staying in and he hadn’t had the courage to ask if anything knew of Charlotte or had seen her. He was afraid of what the answer might be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that? A picture of her?” He looked to see that Nix had joined him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe. She said not to open until the war was over or if she…” he just shrugged instead of finishing the sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did someone say that? Has no one seen her?” Nix looked around wildly like he would start the manhunt now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haven’t asked.” He tucked the letter back inside his jacket. She was stronger than whatever it was the world was going to throw at her. Of course she made it. She had to. He would know in his heart if she hadn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been a long couple of days,” Nix mentioned as he watched Dick, “you should get some sleep. Carentan is next. Not going to be easy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you do the same.” They both managed a half smile. Too tired for anything more. Nix went to leave but stopped and turned back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dick?” The man in question turned as a way of answering. “You’ll see her again. Things like that...it’s meant to be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lucky you just caught the ricochet,” Roe muttered as he pulled the bullet from Winter’s ankle. It dropped in the metal tray in a satisfying clink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing too bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. You gonna be able to stay off of it for a bit?” The sound of guns going off in the distance told Dick that he couldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t look like it.” Roe smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay here while I get the sutures.” Dick looked back down at the bullet. So small but so much damage. At least not to him. Maybe luck did have something to do with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to go see if the surgeon needs any help, if things pick up back here just holler.” That voice. He would know it anywhere. It was like music to his ears. Home in a faraway land. Water in the desert. A balm against the rough rhetoric of war. “Dick?” Because she would know that face anywhere. It was a light in the dark. A warm mug of coffee on a rainy morning. The smell of your favorite food as you walked down the street holding hands with someone you loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If all around them was hell, they’d cut out their own slice of heaven. Right her. In an aid station in Carentan.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>accepting requests for moments and scenes with these two!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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